Cycle
by The Faded Guardian
Summary: They seemed to be stuck in an endless cycle of hurt, love, and making up. partner fic to ChaosLydia's "Run Away" PruCan & PruHun


**Faded: okay. so here's my partner fic to ChaosLydia's _Run Away_. Kind of a sequel, but not really.**

**Riane: alos, beware of a style test!**

**Faded: ah, yes! this is written completely in present tense. i wanted to try this out because it seemed to work for the story better. if it doesn't make sense, don't flame. leave constructive criticism please.**

**Riane: TFG doesn't own APH. if she did, Gilbo would show up a lot more.**

**Faded: you know it! and know, i humbly present, _Cycle_.**

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Cycle

"Augh! You're impossible!" I throw my hands up in frustration, storming up the stairs to our room.

"Fine! Just leave!" he shrieks from behind me. "Run from your problems like you always do! You couldn't finish a conversation if you wanted to!"

Within ten minutes, my things are packed in a simple overnight bag; I know I'm not going to be leaving permanently, but it's the principle of the thing, you know? As I walk down the hall, I hear one of the doors open, and out walks little Minka, my darling 10 year-old daughter. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes (she had been sleeping) she looks up at me and asks, "Dad…? Where are you going…?"

It always pains me when I leave her and Matt like this, even though I know I won't be gone the whole night, and for a moment I almost don't leave; but then I remember our fight and how both of us probably need to have time apart…at least for a little while. Kneeling down, I put my hand on her shoulder and say, "I'm just leaving for a little while, don't worry. Take care of your papa for me, okay?"

She nods, not understanding why this is happening again, but holds her arms out for a goodbye hug anyways. I oblige and give her a kiss on the forehead before heading for the door. Matthew hears my footsteps and, without looking over his shoulder, asks, "Where are you going, Gilbert?"

I pause, not turning around either and reply, "Home. West is probably wondering where I am…" That is a lie I know he will not believe, but Matt and I definitely need this time apart.

He scoffs, clearly not believing me. "Fine." There are no goodbyes exchanged, and I am quickly on my way.

After about half an hour I find myself pulling up to the hotel she is staying at for the meeting being held in Ontario. Lizzie had, for less obvious reasons, given me her room number and hotel address, only saying to me, "In case you ever need to talk." I figured now would be as good a time as any to go see her; though thinking back on it, it was probably because she is one of my few exes that I actually really care for. On the elevator ride up, I am left alone with my thoughts; lately I had been drawing constant parallels between my current relationship and my relationship with _her_. With so many similarities, I couldn't help doing so. Every time I compare Matt to _her_, he gets absolutely furious and, once in a while, we get into a big fight (like the one we had had tonight) and sit in separate corners until one of us breaks down and apologized. The elevator doors open with a _ding!_ and I step out, walking to her room, almost on autopilot. I knock once and she opens the door with a soft smile gracing her features. "Come on in, Gil."

I walk in tentatively, careful not to step on anything that is littering the floor. (Or bothering to comment on it for that matter.) Sure the two of us were on okay terms, but she was still prone to hitting me over the head with that frying pan of hers. I sit down on the bed, looking up at her, feeling almost lost. Why had I come here? I stand up abruptly and said, "I should go—"

She silences me with a…well I guess it was a kiss. A simple brushing of lips, but nonetheless it quickly shuts me up. "You came here to talk, so talk," she tells me simply, that playful smile never leaving her lips.

I bite my lip, unsure of how much I wanted to tell her, but it all comes out anyways. From the beginning of our relationship to the moment I had walked out the door that night. The entire time, she doesn't interrupt at all, asking only the occasional question to clarify something.

"…and now I'm here and I feel really bad, because I hate being so upset with him, but I don't think he wants to talk to me anyways because I'm a giant _douche_!" I finish, putting my face in my hands and shaking my head.

She sits beside me and places a hand on mine. "Gilbert, you're not a douche. Don't say that…you're a wonderful person. He's lucky to have you." I allow myself a small smile as she continues. "You're at a really unstable time in your relationship, but it'll be fine, don't worry."

At that I pull away from her, shocked that she could even say something like that. "No, no, no! Lizzie, do you not realize the similarities here?! This is the _exact same thing_ that happened between me and you! I don't want to have to go through that again! I love him so much! I love him as much as I loved—_love_—you! I don't want it to end the way it did between us! When I found out about you and Roderich, it killed me as much as finding out about Matt and Arthur has! And then…and then…_you left me for him!_" At this point my voice has risen quite a bit, and she is desperately trying to get me to quiet down. "I don't want to have to let him go like I had to let you go! _Do you understand?!_"

Her eyes go wide, before filling with tears and she begins to cry. "Gilbert, I'm sorry! You knew about it! You knew I was going to have to leave, but you chose to ignore it! A-and then…you…you proposed that alliance between us…I couldn't say yes to you, no matter how much I wanted to!"

I open my mouth to go off again, but her words stop me. I reach out, taking her hand. "Lizzie…" Slowly, we are drawn closer together, like two perfectly matched magnets. Closer, closer, until our lips brush again. Tentative, exploratory kisses quickly turn fiercer, more passionate, and we come so, _so_ close to going further but something goes off in my head telling me to pull away. "I…I can't. Lizzie, I love you both so much, but…I don't want him to go through what he's put me through."

She nods understandingly. "It's fine, Gil. Just remember that I'm always here for you when you need to talk." She gives me a light kiss on the cheek and opens the door for me. "Goodbye."

I smile a bit and nod to her. However, before I leave, I ask, "You got a suit I could use?"

She looks at me, puzzled. "Roddy might've left one here…why?"

I shake my head not answering why only saying, "I just need to borrow it. I promise I'll have it back to you ASAP."

"Alright…" She disappears into the closet provided with the suite and comes out a few minutes later holding a relatively clean suit. "I'm not sure it'll fit, but…"

I walk over and take it from her, shrugging. "It works." I change quickly, putting my other clothes into the overnight bag I had taken with me. I flash her a smile and thank her before heading out the door and back to my Mattie.

Another half hour, and I'm standing outside his front door in my borrowed suit, cleaned up, and holding a small gift in my hands. It is late, and I know that he is probably asleep, but I hate being upset with him. I ring the door bell and to my surprise I hear him trudging to the door as well as the sound of little feet running down the hall. The door flies open and Minka throws her arms around my waist. "Dad!" she cries happily.

I ruffle her hair and smile. "Hey squirt." I look up, seeing Matthew standing behind her, looking close to tears. I look down, feeling all my guilt come flooding back. Holding out his gift, I mumble an apology to him, and before I know it he was hugging me as well.

"You never let me stay mad at you, you jerk," he mutters through tears that he is trying to hold back.

I smile sadly and give him a light kiss on the lips. "I know…I can't stand being upset with you."

He leads me back into the house, with Minka trailing behind, right on our heels. He sends her off to bed, and we follow soon after. Before I let myself fall asleep, I can't help thinking that this same scenario has already happened only a few weeks before. It is an endless cycle of love, hurt, and making up that we seem to be stuck in, and no doubt in a few more weeks we will be here again. I feel him wrap his arms around me and mumble sleepily, "Mmm…love you, Gil."

I smile and let him snuggle into my embrace. "Love you too, Matt…'night."

"_Goodnight, Elizaveta."_

THE END

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**Faded: well, i hope you liked it! as always, leave a review! they're nice...like corn c:**

**Riane: flamers get thrown to the rabid gilbirds!**


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